Given annually since 2000, the Baker & Taylor Awards have recognized more than 40 groups for outstanding efforts to support their library. Applications for the $1000 awards for outstanding programming or projects are due May 1.

If you’ve been struggling to find the time and resources to start up a friends group for your school library, help has arrived. United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association, has created a free toolkit geared toward school librarians for just this purpose, and it is now freely available at their website.